This invention relates to the field of paint buckets and containers for aiding in the painting with brushes.
Paint is applied as a coating to surfaces, by a number of methods, the oldest and most prevalent of which is by means of multi-bristled brushes. A brush serves two purposes in applying a uniform coating of paint to a surface. The first is that a brush carries a quantity of paint to coat a usable area of the surface in each application; the second is that the brush smoothes the paint to a uniform coat while the paint is still liquid and free flowing. The paint that is usefully applied is paint carried on the exterior of the brush, clinging there by the combination of friction and paint viscosity. The brush bristles provide a uniform, resilient means for smoothly wiping the paint as it flows from the surface of the brush to the applied surface. Paint which is not on the side of the brush adjacent this surface is wasted, as it is not applied.
Paint on the sides (the narrow edges of a brush) and on the back face comes from dipping the brush in paint; this paint is the principal source of splashes, drips and similar problems. Paint trapped within the bristles of the brush, stiffens the brush, making it less suitable for creating a uniform thin coat of paint. Such entrapped paint further creates irregularities in the application of paint as the deflection of the brush will tend to squeeze paint from the bristles in a highly non-uniform manner.
Numerous inventions have attempted to reduce such problems with paint brushes by providing a holder for the brush to minimize drips or by providing in one means or another for removing excess and undesired paint during the painting.
For instance, Canadian Pat. No. 576,809 to Waddell discloses a combined paint brush scraper and holder for installation over an open paint can. This holder, a transverse bar with clip for brush handle, is secured across a chord of the open paint can in such a manner that the brush is held over the paint, and a chordal edge of the scraper can be used for wiping excess paint from the brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,537 to McAllister discloses a removable accessory for use on a paint can with extended rim and lip so that a paint brush may be placed upon the rim and all paint will drip back into the paint can.
French Pat. No. 2,299,167 discloses a brush rest for installation across a semi-circumference or a portion of the interior face of a paint can; this brush rest contains a pattern of slots through which paint may drip and a surface upon which the wet paint brush may be placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,789 discloses a sheet to be inserted vertically within a paint bucket and containing holes for the release of paint, and against which a brush or a roller may be wiped to evenly distribute the paint on the brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,686 discloses a paint brush holder for installation on a can of paint which consists of a semi-circular segment having one or more clips on the upper surface for holding the handles of the paint brushes, which are thus suspended with the bristles over the open portion immediately above the paint in the paint can.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,046 discloses an angular paint brush holder mounted on the rim of a paint can so that a paint brush is held in an essentially vertical position. The paint will then run down from the base of the bristles toward the tip. This patent, as in the Canadian patent, provides that the flat edge of the cradle provides a linear surface for wiping the back face of the brush. It should be noted that this patent clearly depicts in FIG. 6 the disadvantages inherent in wiping a brush against the edge of a standard paint can which, of necessity, must contain at least one U-shaped channel for securing the lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,210 discloses a lid attachment for a paint can adapted for holding a paint brush.
British Pat. No. 971,869 discloses a spring loaded, clamp on brush holder for installation on the rim of a paint can. This holder holds the brush at a downward angle rather than horizontally, and in addition, provides a handle for the paint can.
British Pat. No. 177,983 shows an alternate form of a semicircular or segmented paint scraper and lid attachment.